


Happy birthday, Aoba

by draagonfly



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, nothing is actually mentioned but I figure it's better safe than sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-04-27 13:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5050540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/draagonfly/pseuds/draagonfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wasn't expecting anything for his birthday (had forgotten about it altogether), but Virus and Trip are always full of surprises, aren't they?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I found sitting around my hard drive, and may or may not add on to at some point in the future.  
> Nothing explicit, but takes place after ViTri's bad end so.

I don’t know how long it’s been since Virus and Trip kidnapped me. They took my coil and Ren, and neither of them bother to update me on things like that. It might have been weeks, months, maybe a whole year has passed and I didn’t notice. There are no windows in this place they took me to, so I really have no sense of time. It doesn’t matter anyway, I suppose; it’s not like I have anything to look forward to.

Every day is the same. They’ve worked out a system for sharing me, and it’s rare that they ever deviate from it. I don’t mind it as much as I used to – it’s nice to have something predictable and constant. At least this way I know who to expect. It’s strange, but I almost prefer the days when they decide to use me together instead of separately. I wouldn’t call it a break, but it’s less humiliating when I’m not the sole focus.

Though I’m surprised I can still feel shame at all after all the things they’ve made me do. Most times I feel empty, like a shell of a person or a doll, which probably isn’t too far off the mark. I’m not a person anymore. I’m not ‘Aoba’ anymore, even though they still call me by that name. ‘Aoba’ disappeared a long time ago. I don’t have a name now – dolls don’t need names.

I’m snapped out of my thoughts by the click of the doorknob and footsteps – two sets – on the tile floor.

“Good morning, Aoba-san.”

“Yo, Aoba.”

I’m scared. Today is supposed to be only Virus, so why are they both here? This isn’t right. Usually I spend the day with whoever’s turn it is, and the other ignores us. Do they have something new planned? The thought is terrifying; there is quite literally nothing I can think of that they haven’t done to me, so I can’t imagine what they have planned. I want to die.

I don’t show it though, and keep a blank face as usual as I sit up on the bed. I never look directly at them if I can help it, so I keep my eyes unfocused and move my gaze in their general direction. If they notice, they don’t comment. I take up my position against the pillows, cross legged with my arms in my lap. When I first got here, and they took away my clothes, I used to try and cover myself as much as possible. But as time went on I learned that they liked to take advantage of my embarrassment, so I don’t do that anymore. It’s not like it’s anything they haven’t seen anyway; Virus especially likes to just sit and watch from across the room.

“Ah, also, happy birthday, Aoba.”

“Happy birthday, from your biggest fans.”

I can tell they’re both smiling from just their tone, as though it was really something to celebrate. Well, that answers the question of what day it is, at least.

“We have a present for you as well. We hope that you’ll enjoy it.” A present? They’ve never given me anything before. A memory suddenly pushes to the forefront of my mind, an image of my last birthday with Granny’s homemade donuts and drinks with Koujaku and Mizuki. My heart aches, and I wonder if maybe, maybe they’ll finally let me go, send me back to Midorijima, but I crush that idea before it even fully registers. I’ve given up on ever returning home; it’s useless to hope for something that will never happen.

So what could they possibly be giving me? I’m simultaneously curious and filled with dread. Virus notices my conflicted expression, and offers his reassurance.

“Don’t worry, Aoba-san, we know that you’ll like it. But you have to promise something before we give it to you.” Now my attention is fully directed at them, and I notice the absence of their ALLmates. “You need to promise that once we give you this gift, that you’ll continue to follow our instructions as obediently as you have been. If you don’t, we may take this gift away. Can you promise that?” Both stare at me, waiting for my answer. The one and only time I had ever disobeyed them, I had been locked in a box for three days. It was something I absolutely did not want to experience again. So I nodded, hoping they would accept that in place of verbal agreement. I never spoke anymore, unless I had to.

Apparently my answer was satisfactory, because Virus’ serious demeanor was replaced by his usual carefree attitude, and turned to nod at Trip. Trip left the room again, presumably to retrieve my ‘present’, and Virus walked around the bed to the side farthest from the door.

“Come this way a little, we need to leave some room.” Completely at a loss about what was going on, I shift over to the right, leaving the left half of the bed clear for whatever was going to be put there. I can hear Trip’s footsteps coming back down the hall and reflexively look toward the door. The knob clicks, and the door swings open to reveal Trip, both ALLmates, and someone else. I understand immediately who it is, even having only seen him once before from a distance. There was no mistaking him. My voice is hoarse when I speak up for the first time in weeks.

“S-sei...?”

Sei. My brother. The brother I had been searching for so frantically before these two got in the way. He’s here. He meets my eyes, dull and tired as they are, and smiles.

“Hello, Aoba.”

He can’t be real. I must have finally hit my psychological breaking point, and now I’m hallucinating my twin brother. Somehow I know it is real, and he really is standing right here before my eyes. I’m so happy, so unbearably happy, to be able to finally meet him. But, the fact that he’s here, that I can meet him after all this time, means that he, too, is now Virus and Trip’s plaything. The thought makes me sick. I’m angry, and at the same time grateful to them for allowing this reunion. My emotions swirl together in my gut and I feel like throwing up. But when he smiles at me, despite everything that he’s been through, I smile back, even as tears cloud my vision and fall down my cheeks.

“Hello, Sei.”

As I speak, Trip puts a hand on his back and leads him over to the bed. He climbs up, slowly, as though he isn’t quite sure how to maneuver his limbs.

“You must be tired, you’ve had a long journey. Lie down and rest for now.” The way he instantly follows Virus’ command makes me think that he’s used to it. Thinking about it makes my nausea worse, so I push the thought away. “You too, Aoba. You can keep Sei company, I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on.” I mirror Sei’s position, lying on my back, head turned towards him. Virus turns and walks back to the door, closely followed by Trip, but suddenly stops with one hand on the doorknob. “Oh, and Aoba,” I tear my eyes from Sei to look at him. “Don’t forget what you promised.”

The pieces click together, and my world falls apart all over again. No. They wouldn’t make us…

My stomach drops as I realize, they absolutely would, and they will. Tears well up in my eyes as despair settles in every inch of my body. I can’t. I won’t.

I have to.

“Aoba,” Sei is looking at me, still as calm and collected as he had been when he walked in the door. He reaches his arm out and takes my hand, weaves our fingers together gently. I can’t help but admire how perfectly they fit together. “It’s okay. As long as we’re together, it’s okay.”

It isn’t okay, it’s despicable, and wrong, but I can’t say anything about it. So I smile as best I can, tears making a wet spot on the pillow, and nod.

“It’s okay.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small update because I've been having lots of SeiAo feelings lately.

The door clicks shut, and a heavy silence falls over the room. My vision is still swimming behind the tears that haven’t stopped falling, and Sei reaches over to wipe them away with a gentle thumb. It’s painful and comforting all at once and it makes me want to cry even more.

“Don’t cry, Aoba. We’re finally together again.” I sniffle and Sei tucks a lock of my untrimmed bangs behind my ear. “I missed you.”

Before now, I always thought it was impossible to miss someone you never knew, but I mean it more than I’ve ever meant anything when I nod and reply, “I missed you too”. He squeezes our joined hands weakly and continues.

“I was always waiting for you. Always, always, hoping that you would save me from that tower.”

“I tried, Sei, I tried so hard but –“

“I know,” he cuts off my rambling apology, for which I’m a little grateful. We both know the reason, or rather, reasons why I never made it to the top of Oval Tower – they’re waiting just a few rooms away. My tears finally begin to subside and as my vision clears I take in the appearance of the brother I had been searching for.

The first thing that catches my attention are his eyes. Dark and deep enough to swallow me whole, but kind and full of a reassuring warmth. They hold my gaze without blinking until I realize that I’ve been staring and drag my eyes down to gaunt cheeks and lips that probably should have been dry and cracking, but are plump and pink and curved into a gentle smile. The farthest my eyes will go without moving my head is to his collarbone, protruding too much to be healthy but not enough to be unappealing. Pale skin that looks likely to break at the slightest pressure is stretched taught over bone and muscle, and I wonder if that’s how I look now too.

“You’re just as beautiful as I imagined.” I pull my eyes back up to meet Sei’s again, surprised at his remark. My surprise must have shown, because he giggled and it was the softest and sweetest sound I’ve heard maybe in my entire life. The way his face lit up even in a circumstance such as ours was nothing short of miraculous. If anyone could be called beautiful, it was Sei.

I have millions of things I want to say, to ask, but I can’t organize my thoughts so I stay silent. Sei is still playing with the ends of my hair that I can just barely feel. I’ve been grateful that the feeling in my hair has all but disappeared, but just for now I wish I could feel the gentle pull of Sei’s fingers through the strands. Somehow I think it would feel nice.

“Aoba,” Sei speaks into the quietness of the room and I focus all my attention on what he wants to say. “I’m a little tired. I know we haven’t talked much, but would you mind if I slept for a while?” Truthfully, I’d like to talk a little more, but he really does look exhausted. I wonder if Virus and Trip drugged him like they did to me while they brought him here. I remember being tired for a long time after that.

“I don’t mind,” I reply and nod slightly. Sei smiles and squeezes my hand again, and this time I squeeze back. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later.

“Thank you. Goodnight, Aoba.” He closes his eyes and I can’t help but admire the way his dark lashes contrast with the paleness of his skin. His hair falls into his face, and I gently reach out to push it back away from his eyes. His skin is soft under my fingertips as they brush over the side of his face, and I let them linger for a moment. It’s still a little unbelievable to me that Sei is here in front of me after all this time and in such a place, enough that it still feels like a dream. If it is a dream, I hope I never have to wake up. I feel my eyelids get heavy as Sei’s breathing evens out, and I pull my hand away.

“Goodnight, Sei.” My eyes slip shut and I can’t help but think to myself that despite the circumstances, I’m glad that he’s here with me. I’m glad that we can lie here and hold hands like this, peacefully, even if that peace won’t last. My last thought before sleep pulls me under is of how his fingers still slotted between mine feel so cold.


End file.
